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New CAG group to meet Feb. 28

By RACHEL ALEXANDER alexanderr@ canoncitydailyrecord.com

Posted:
02/15/2013 08:55:37 PM MST

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment announced Friday it has withdrawn the most recent amendment to Cotter Corp.'s radioactive materials license and will seek additional public input.

CDPHE announced it amended the license in January to

reflect current activities on the site.

The license was amended at that time to delete references to operations and to shift existing requirements from operations to decommissioning and reclamation.

Shortly after the amendment was issued, Colorado Citizens Against ToxicWaste issued a statement expressing their concern that there was no public input on the amendment.

Friday's action by the department reverts the license to the state it was prior to the amendment. That license expired Jan. 31, but can continue to operate until a new amendment is in place.

"Our response is that CDPHE did notify us that they were making an administrative amendment to license to reflect current activities," said Cotter Vice President of Operations John Hamrick. "It is our understanding that public comment is not required for this type of action."

Hamrick said the company's main goal is to clean up and close the site.

"We though that change was a positive step," he said. "We are able and willing to move forward."

Cotter applied for termination of its operating license in January 2012 after announcing it did not intend to resume uranium milling operations at the site.

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Cotter must satisfy several responsibilities to successfully close the site.

Ultimately, the company must terminate the radioactive materials license issued by the state, but must follow it throughout the decommissioning and cleanup process. A number of investigations and response actions have occurred at the site under a Consent Decree/Remedial Action Plan (CD/RAP), which Colorado entered into with the Cotter in 1988 to settle natural resource damage claims related to mill. The Consent Decree will have to be satisfied and closed. In addition, the site will have to be removed from the Superfund National Priorities List by completing the rigorous requirements of that Environmental Protection Agency program.

Although ground water monitoring and other activities approved by the state prior to March 2012 have continued, the state has not initiated any new studies or work since that time while a Community Advisory Group is being re-formed. A Community Advisory Group comprises community representatives who are knowledgeable about a site and who can provide input regarding cleanup studies and work to the state and federal regulatory agencies overseeing the site.

A new Community Advisory Group is being formed. Members have been invited and an organizational meeting with the steering committee and the new members is scheduled for Feb. 28.

The department will work with the CAG to develop the new amendment and on how best to communicate with the public.

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